The Challenge Final Reckoning Episode 17 Recap and Power Rankings
The episode opens at the main house, with Bananas and Tony discussing what is going on in the game. They think teams will avoid calling them out due to them being perceived as the best team and Cara and Marie being a much bigger target. Marie seems to agree, as she thinks she will be called out next.
Over at the Redemption House, Brad and Kyle are still upset over Shane and Nelson calling them out. I’m not sure why Brad and Kyle take this so personally; back at the opening of the season they talked about sending in Nelson and Shane multiple times and never seemed to have a relationship with them at all; so, I don’t a real reason for it but maybe something will come out later.
Back in the main house, Natalie is talking with Bananas. They flirt lightly back and forth while Natalie is working on some crafts. Natalie asks about Angela, and Johnny says he has no idea what will happen with the two of them when they get back home. After this, the group heads out to the bar where Marie talks with the Lavender Ladies and they say they want to go for Bananas. Marie is still skeptical but decides to lay low in order to avoid any unwanted attention. Nelson takes the opportunity to get closer with Natalie, and Johnny looks on as Nelson and Hunter make their efforts to sway Natalie.
The crew gets back to the house, where Johnny and Cara discuss the Natalie situation. Cara says she does think Natalie is trying to make Johnny jealous and they both care for each other; but I tend to think it’s more politically motivated. Johnny says if Natalie chooses to go with the other side of the house he won’t fight for her back, which is both surprising and disappointing to hear. Seeing Johnny fight back both competitively and mentally is entertaining and having just sort of lay down and resolve to settle it in the ring leaves a lot of entertainment on the table.
We then head to nominations, where Natalie and Paulie lead it off. They send the power vote towards Joss and Sylvia. Marie tells Cara they should be safe for the night, and they vote Ashley and Hunter. All the Lavender Ladies vote for Tony and Johnny, while we’re left wondering about Johnny and Tony.
After this, we head to the elimination. TJ reveals Tony and Johnny got the most votes; with all three Lavender Lady teams voting their way. After some deliberation, the boys decide to go after Sylvia and Joss; on the premise that the elimination seems to involve water and Shane is really good in the water. I personally would have taken Shane and Nelson to avoid any equalizers and force them to work on a puzzle; but Johnny generally knows what he is doing so I’ll give him benefit of the doubt. Bananas and Joss jaw back and forth a little bit before the elimination, with Johnny seemingly like he is trying to goad Joss into a bigger reaction but is unsuccessful.
The elimination is called Don’t Trip Me Up, and has the competitors attempt to weave puzzle pieces through a maze underwater. While one partner weaves the pieces, the other uses the pieces to try to build a tower. Once all the pieces are out, both partners can work to build the tower. Whomever builds the tower to the point and has it hold for three seconds wins the elimination.
The pairs start; with Johnny and Sylvia as the divers while Tony and Joss are the builders. Johnny gets their pieces exceptionally quickly; and he and Tony get to work. Sylvia comes up soon behind, and she and Joss start working as well. This elimination seems exceptionally frustrating. Johnny looks as rattled I’ve ever seen him in elimination, screaming and shaking at each tower crumble. Shane screams at Joss anytime he so much as moves, telling him to stay still. Sylvia and Joss seem to be making more progress, as they build a tower that reaches the top, but it falls before three seconds. Johnny literally starts screaming at TJ after he does his usual banter; completely out of character for the veteran. Eventually, Joss and Sylvia put up a tower that reaches the marker; and it holds giving them the win.
The Lavender side of the house all rushes Sylvia and Joss upon winning. They do their usual hug and cheer routine; but it seems somewhat muted now compared to earlier instances. On the other side, Bananas and Tony don’t seem that fazed by losing. I’m not sure if their calmness is just relief from being out of the water or confidence that they will be able to make it back through Redemption, but Bananas especially doesn’t seem terribly disappointed in the result.
Bananas and Tony head to the Redemption House where Kayleigh and Kam are ready to greet them. Brad and Kyle come down as well, and Bananas hashes out what is going on in the house currently. He tells Kayleigh that Nelson and Natalie have been all over each other since she returned to the house. Kayleigh doesn’t seem to completely believe Johnny, but is clearly disturbed by what he is saying. Kayleigh ends up heading upstairs, where Kam follows her to comfort her.
After this, we head to the next mission entitled Heads Will Roll. This mission is a purge mission, and will have the competitors seek to transfer flags from one platform to another across a spinning pole. The team to transfer the most flags wins, the one to do the worst will be sent to the Redemption House.
The order is randomly selected, and Ashley and Hunter are first to go. Hunter is grabbing the flags, and he is moving really well in delivering them to Ashley. They end up getting six flags before Hunter falls down. Shane and Nelson are up next and they do not do as well. Nelson grabs the flag at first, but it gets tripped up in the middle and falls during the first round. Shane seems devastated by Nelson falling, but they hold out hope someone else will fall faster than Nelson.
Sylvia and Joss are up next, and their run doesn’t go well either. Joss is able to get the flag across without much problem, but Sylvia doesn’t step on the poll to grab it. This disqualifies the flag, and Joss falls soon after giving them zero flags as well. Natalie and Paulie are up next, and they clearly learn from the others mistakes. They go with the strategy of having Paulie do the majority of the work while Natalie toe taps on the poll to retrieve the flag. It is very effective, and Paulie is delivering the flags without much issue. At one point he trips and looks as if he is about to fall, but he recovers. They are able to get eight flags before falling putting them in the lead.
Cara and Marie are last to go, and seem set on just trying to get one flag to stay out of the bottom. Cara is able to get across fine, but they also screw up the exchange and Cara falls giving them only one flag as well. This puts three teams at the bottom with only one flag and a decision still to be revealed on who is going to Redemption. TJ gathers the pairs to conclude the mission and announces Natalie and Paulie as the winners. He also reveals Nelson and Shane traveled the least amount on the pole, putting them in last and sending them to Redemption.
At Redemption House, the whole group is shocked to hear Nelson and Shane arriving. Immediately, Kayleigh questions Nelson about Natalie. Nelson denies any wrongdoing, but Kayleigh is still skeptical. The episode wraps up here, leaving us until next episode to truly find out what is going on.
Extra Notes
· Cara Maria and Paulie appeared on How Far is Tattoo Far? recently. Watch the episdoe here.
Redemption House
4) Nelson/Shane: This Redemption House is particularly close, and you could really have them in any order. Depending on how the whole Nelson/Kayleigh/Natalie situation shakes out though they could be at the bottom of everyone’s totem poles.
3) Brad/Kyle: While I had them as the best team coming into the season, they have really under-performed lately and with the way these eliminations have been structured they’ve much more technical rather than brute strength.
2) Kam/Kayleigh: Not only do they have equalizers going their way, they also have been overcoming odds all season. Kam has been exceptional in these situations since her debut, and Kayleigh has proven she isn’t a push over either.
1) Tony/Bananas: While Johnny hasn’t been the best in eliminations, his experience and their confidence going in gives me faith to put them number one.
Main House
4) Cara/Marie: These girls keep surviving, but still stay at the bottom considering the strength of those around them.
3) Ashley/Hunter: There is certainly an argument for them to be number one, but I just haven’t been impressed by them this season. Ashley doesn’t seem to be in as good of shape as she was on Invasion of the Champions and their communication has been a real problem thus far.
2) Natalie/Paulie: Really considered putting them at the top, but their weakness in eliminations keeps them from number one.
1) Joss/Sylvia: While their performance in the mission wasn’t inspiring, beating Tony and Bananas is very impressive and they’ve shown an ability to perform in eliminations which Natalie and Paulie have not.
